Healing Laughter
by Crystalteen
Summary: Pony and Johnny are spending their first night in the church when Johnny knows he has to help cheer Ponyboy up after he begins to cry from a nightmare. This is now featuring other characters and is no longer a two-shot! Please read, enjoy, and review! :)
1. Nightmare at the Church

**A/N: I decided to make a cute little two-shot of Ponyboy and Johnny while they're at the church one night. This is complete fluff, and I decided since I love how close Johnny and Ponyboy are that'd I create a fluffy two-shot based off their close friendship. This came to my mind from a few writing blocks, brainstorming, and whatnot. This two-shot is all for fun, so I hope you will all like it and please review! :D :) **

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Johnny Cade laid still on one of the hard, dusty, wooden pews inside of the drafty abandoned church on top of Jay Mountain. His arms were curled up close to his face, and his legs were tucked up into his stomach. The poor sixteen-year-old puppy like boy was struggling that night to get any sleep due to the horrible flashbacks from the night before coming back to haunt him. Blood was decorating his switchblade as he sat there by the fountain in the park back around his neighborhood in Tulsa; he was trembling like there was no tomorrow, and a numb, pale, lifeless body of a Soc rested next to him. Johnny Cade, an abused greaser, had murdered Bob Sheldon, a drunk and rich teenager who was taller and stronger.

Johnny didn't want to kill him, but Bob and some of his drunk buddies were trying to kill his best friend, Ponyboy Curtis. They were forcing him underwater, trying to squeeze all of his oxygen out of his lungs so he could die. Johnny had no choice but to yank out his switch. After murdering the Soc, Ponyboy and Johnny ended up running away from their homes for the first time ever. Ponyboy had been recently smacked across the face by his oldest brother and legal guardian, Darry. Ever since Mr. and Mrs. Curtis died in an auto-wreck, it was Darry's responsibility to keep Ponyboy and Sodapop, the happy-go-lucky; movie-star handsome; middle Curtis, together and out of trouble.

No matter how many times Johnny closed his adorable black eyes, they only popped back open a few seconds later. The abandoned church was chilly, causing Johnny to shiver since he only had on a dark brown shirt, a worn out pair of jeans, some dirty socks, and a pair of old tennis shoes. He was using his jean jacket, the only jacket he had, as a pillow.

Groaning softly to himself, Johnny forced himself up into a sitting position and rubbed his sore eyes, taking a moment to turn around so he could see Ponyboy sleeping on the pew behind him. His reddish-brownish, decently long, greasy hair dangled in front of his shut eyes, and his mouth was hanging open as he took in and let out soft breaths in what was like his peaceful sleep. The youngest Curtis was dressed in a baggy plaid shirt that belonged to Buck M., a worn out pair of jeans, surprisingly white socks, and dirty tennis shoes.

"...Poor kid..." Johnny sighed to himself, as if he was Darry or Soda. "I shouldn't have allowed him to come here with me...I'm the one who killed that Soc...poor Pone can't even stop thinking about what happened back at his place with Darry."

Carefully laying back down, Johnny stared at the ceiling and began to think about disguises for him and Ponyboy. Regretfully, they might have to cut their hair in order to keep the fuzz off their tails. Finally, Johnny was able to fall fast asleep probably around midnight or so. However, around two in the morning, Johnny was awaken by the sound of soft footsteps walking back and forth just a little back from where he was resting on the pew. Some sniffles were added into the walking sound too. Instantly, Johnny shot up and flashed himself around, already getting ready to dig out his blade without considering who or what was making those noises.

"Johnnycake, it's just me," It was Ponyboy, who had his arms crossed over his chest with tears drenching down his bright red face. "I couldn't sleep...I had another nightmare...this one wasn't about my parents, the auto-wreck, or any Socs though. The incident with Cherry Valance's boyfriend wasn't a part of it either."

"Boys' home?" suggested Johnny, a pout spread across his face at the sight of his best friend crying his heart out and pacing the dusty and creaky floor. After Ponyboy shook his head in response, Johnny regretted asking him that question; he should've known what was eating at Pony.

"No, it was 'bout how Darry slapped me like he did...he didn't even bother coming after me after I bolted out the front door! Who knows, he probably made Soda stay with him instead of comin' after me! Darry probably wanted me to run away ever since our parents died! That way, he would only have to worry about the golden Curtis, Sodapop!" Ponyboy blustered out in many more tears as he plopped himself down on the pew that he was previously sleeping on.

Johnny could've sworn he turned white as a sheet after he heard Ponyboy say such a thing like that; sure, Pony might've told him in the past how much Darry hated him and didn't want him, but after hearing Ponyboy say that Darry hit him and actually didn't care that he did so, Johnny couldn't help himself to feel sick to his stomach. Poor Johnny knew the truth of being unwanted and uncared for by his drunk parents, always getting cursed and belted. Ponyboy might as well lived in heaven.

"Pony, don't say that, man!" Johnny begged as he trotted over to Ponyboy's side and sat next to him on the pew. Johnny then flung his arm over Pony's shoulder and consoled him the best he could, trying to shush him and act like a parent, just like Soda would do. "Ponyboy, I can promise you that Darry didn't mean to hit you...you're lucky that he doesn't get drunk and beat the livin' heck out of you and Soda both...I'm invisible to my old man and mom, remember?"

"Darry hates me, Johnnycake!" Pony howled in sorrow filled pain into his best friend's shoulder.

"He doesn't hate you, Ponyboy," Johnny calmly spoke.

"Yes, he does! He changed so much since our parents died! He never used to be so harsh and violent, but now he's like a monster I can't even think about being related to!"

"Pony, please...you got to get a hold of yourself, man...Darry loves you and Sodapop both equally..."

"No, he doesn't! He admires Soda with all his heart, but he is irritated to the maximum level about having me as his youngest kid brother!"

Johnny could've sworn he felt hot tears beginning to form in the edges of his eyes, along with his bottom lip beginning to wobble. Nonetheless, Johnny blinked away the tears quickly and started to heavily think of a way that he could cheer Ponyboy up so they could both get some sleep. Seeing Pony cry like that and weep about how Darry hated him completely wasn't an option for Johnny to even consider; neither was telling Ponyboy to try letting it go and getting some rest because that would only leave Pony crying himself back to sleep to only receive another nightmare, and Johnny knew he wouldn't be able to sleep since guilt would be pooling up all over his body.

Memories from when he and Ponyboy were just little kids flooded into Johnny's brainstorming mind. Finally, an idea to help Ponyboy stood out, as if it was a lightbulb that was waiting to be turned on in Johnny's mind. That rare, playful deviousness twinkled in Johnny's eyes as a smirk curled up on his lips.

"Ohh, Poonnyy..." Johnny sang, giving the youngest Curtis a playful punch in the side. Ponyboy lifted his head back up and wiped away as many of his tears as he could.

"What?" Ponyboy asked.

Johnny kept his smirking mouth shut, playfully raising an eyebrow (a trick he picked up from Two-Bit, the wisecracker of their gang) as he stood up from the pew. Ponyboy watched him like a confused puppy, wiping away some more streaking tears from his face. Johnny ended up yanking his jean jacket forward from where it was resting slung over his shoulder.

"Stand up, Pone," instructed the Cade.

"...What are you doing, Johnnycake?" the Curtis concernedly asked.

"I'm goin' to cheer you up, that's all."

"Cheer me up?" Ponyboy wiped away some more tears from his eyes. Johnny nodded his head with his rare smirk still plastered on his face, but Ponyboy sighed and shook his head, not considering what Johnny could possibly have in mind of doing in order to cheer him up. "Johnny, I appreciate it, but it's useless. No matter how much you try cheering me up, the smack from Darry won't stop echoing in my head."

"I'm not takin' no for an answer, Pone!" Johnny leaped at the youngest Curtis, as if he was the middle Curtis again, and he gleefully tackled Ponyboy down to the old and dusty floor. The two teenagers playfully punched at each other, rolling around and wrestling like Soda and Steve (Soda's best pal since grade-school) or Two-Bit and Soda would do with each other for fun. Since Johnny was short for his age, he and Ponyboy were able to share what was like the same amount of strength, but Johnny was still stronger than he looked.

"Johnny, what the heck are you doing?" Pony half-exclaimed/half-questioned, resting flat on his back; he was too tired to fight back anymore, considering it was very early in the morning and he had more on his mind than what a fourteen-year-old should. Johnny finally pinned Pony's arms above his head, and then the Cade used his jean jacket to tie Ponyboy's hands up to one of the pews legs, keeping them above his head.

"I told you, Pone," Johnny playfully, but yet deviously, chuckled. "I'm just goin' to cheer you up. I don't want you to me all down and heartbroken for as long as we're here before Dally comes to visit us like he said he would."

Ponyboy didn't know what to say, so he only stared at Johnny with complete confusion detailed all over his face. Pony knew that he could trust Johnny with anything, but he was desperately wishing on the inside that Johnny would tell him what he had in mind of doing in order to cheer him up.

"Remember when Darry, Soda, and Dally introduced us when we were all little kids, Ponyboy?" Johnny asked.

"...Yeah, why?" Ponyboy tried his best to shrug, but couldn't succeed much. Johnny might've looked innocent and sweet, but he could tie one heck of a tough knot.

"Well," Johnny's smirk seemed to grow more. "I was thinkin' about what different games and whatnot we did together when we were younger, along with the rest of the gang...and I was wondering...by any chance...are you still ticklish?"

Instantly, Ponyboy's eyes shot huge, and his heart took a giant leap in his chest. Ever since he was a little baby, he's been the most ticklish out of his brothers and his parents. As for the gang, he was the second most ticklish out of the six other greasers. Now Ponyboy knew _exactly _what Johnny had in mind of doing to him to help cheer him up.

"No!" Ponyboy quickly stuttered out. "I'm not ticklish anymore! I grew out of the sensitivity!"

"Oh, is that so?" Johnny asked. Eagerly, Ponyboy nodded his head. "How come I don't believe you then?"

"Johnnycake, _please _don't tickle me! Don't you remember how ticklish I was when we were just kids and I could actually fight back? I'll die like this!"

"Hm...I thought you just assured me that you weren't ticklish anymore." Johnny continued to smirk as he shrugged his shoulders. "I might as well start now; the faster I begin, the faster you'll be cheered up and we can both get some sleep."

Slowly, Johnny wiggled his fingers like spiders in Pony's view, which caused the fourteen-year-old to begin yanking at the jean jacket and twisting around, but it was pointless. Johnny was straddling his waist and his tight jean jacket knot was too tough to escape.

"Why don't we start here?" Johnny kneed his fingers deep into Ponyboy's ribs, squeezing them and jamming his fingers as far inbetween each rib as they could go. Ponyboy instantly had a smile explode across his face, but he tried his best to bite his tongue and keep his laughter maintained. He figured that if he didn't laugh, Johnny would lose interest in cheering him up like that and let him go, but Johnny wasn't considering that.

"You're tryin' to play hard-to-get, huh? I got ya...maybe if I do...this?" Johnny lifted up Ponyboy's shirt so he could expose his stomach, ribs, bellybutton, and hairless armpits. After tucking the shirt around the back of Pony's neck in order to keep it from coming back down, Johnny took no hesitation to scratch at Ponyboy's bare ribs again with his nails. This time, Ponyboy's face began to glow red, and his smile exposed all of his teeth at the tickly sensation. Before the youngest Curtis knew it, he was bursting out hysterics.

"AHAHHAAHA! NOOOAHAHAHAHHAHA! SSTTTOOOPHAHAHAHA! NOTTTTHAHAHAHATHHHHEEERRREEE!" Ponyboy begged and pleaded, trashing around like he would do whenever Soda and Darry would tickle him to wake him up back at their house. Johnny's eyes pooled up with playful satisfaction, and he kept on kneeding Ponyboy's ribs, tracing his nails up and down each one, going back and forth from being slow to fast in order to drive Pony up the wall every time. The more he laughed, the more he would feel better, and that would help Johnny feel good to know that his best friend was happy.

"It seems like to me that you've gotten even _more _ticklish over the years!" Johnny snickered, deciding to cease the tickling for a moment so Pony could catch his breath.

"Please...no more, Johnnycake..." Ponyboy panted, still grinning ear to ear with his face still red, too.

"No more? Sorry, Pone, but I'm just getting started!" announced the Cade, which instantly caused Curtis' eyes to shoot huge. "I want you to feel better completely before we go back to sleep. And besides, this is actually really fun!"

"Fun for _you_, maybe..." Ponyboy muttered under his breaths that he was taking in.

Johnny touched his chin, continuing to have Pony catch his breath before his black eyes fixed on the youngest Curtis' stomach. "Hm...I wonder..." the Cade smirked again, which brought worry within the youngest Curtis, but he knew that Johnny only wanted him to feel better. Still, Pony hated being tickled. Johnny gazed around the church, examining all around for probably ten seconds before his eyes locked on an owl feather that was resting on the ground besides one of the pews. Johnny remembered the owl that he and Ponyboy heard the day before after they entered the church, but it had flown out after they made their way in; it must've left a few feathers laying around.

Pony looked relieved after Johnny stood up and walked away a couple of steps, but his nervousness instantly returned after he witnessed the Cade pick something up from the floor.

"Hey, Pony," chuckled Johnny as he walked back over to Ponyboy and carefully straddled his waist again. "I got somethin' for ya."

"My freedom back?"

"Not exactly..."

Johnny brought the owl feather out from hiding it behind his back and without any hesitation, Ponyboy could've sworn he felt his heart take a trip across the globe in his chest.

"I see that you're surprised," Johnny giggled, "are you ready to see what's in store for you next?"

"Johnny, please don't!" Pony pleaded like a child would, but Johnny only shook his head and brought the soft and silky top of the owl feather down until it met the bare skin that was underneath Pony's ribs. Ponyboy flinched, biting down on his bottom lip until he felt Johnny slowly begin to trace the feather all around his stomach, while he used his other hand to continue scratching at his ribs and travel up and down one of his sides.

"AHHHAHAHAHAHAHA! QQUUUIIITTTAHAHAHAITTT! PLEEAASSSEE! HAHAHAHAHA!" Pony burst out into a laughing maniac again.

"Tickle, tickle, tickle!" Johnny taunted; he hasn't had this much fun since they were little kids without any cares in the whole world. Johnny decided then to draw the owl feather closer to Ponyboy's innie, circling it a few slow times, then a few faster times, until he finally slid it down into the little bellybutton and swirled it around. That only forced Ponyboy to scream louder with much more laughter, and he threw himself left to right, continuing to try yanking himself free, but he couldn't escape.

"NNOOOTTTAHAHAHA! MMMMYYYAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHHAAHABELLLYYYYYBUTTTONN!" Ponyboy was laughing so much that he was beginning to cry again, but this time was out of laughter.

"One...two...three...and I'll let you breathe." Johnny ceased the tickling again and watched Pony grasp a giant breath, releasing it afterwards; softer breaths followed.

"This...is...torture, Johnny...please stop..." breathed Ponyboy.

"Not just yet, man. There's still a couple of more areas that are beggin' to be tickled. How about underneath your arms? They look like they're begging alright."

Quickly, Pony shook his head. His armpits were his second most ticklish part of his body. "No, they're not..." Ponyboy gulped, which received a snicker from Johnny. The youngest Curtis attempted pulling his arms down, but the knot that Johnny tied was still too strong to beat.

"Yes, they are," Johnny playfully objected, then gave Ponyboy's right pit a little scratch with his nails. Instantly, Pony yelped out a couple of snickers. "Wow, that's one tuff sensitive spot there, huh, Pone?"

"Please stay out of my armpits, Johnnycake! It's too much!" Ponyboy tried to reason, but Johnny didn't want to hear it. The Cade could tell that he was greatly improving the youngest Curtis' happiness, whether Ponyboy admitted it or not.

"I'm afraid it's too tempting, Pony." Johnny snickered, and after he said that, he started tickling away at Ponyboy's hallow pits, scratching away at them with the nails before deciding to drag the owl feather around the ticklish skin.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA! NOOOOO! AHAHAHAHA! IT'SAHAHAHAHATOOOHAHAHAHAAHHA! MUUCCCHHH!" whaled Pony.

"I'm sorry, Pony, but I'm afraid I can't make out what you're saying." Johnny joked, chuckling at the sight of the fourteen-year-old bucking and trashing around like there was no tomorrow.

"AHAHAHAHA! JUUSSTTTHAHAHAHAYOOOUUUAHAHAHAWWAAIIT! JOHNNY! HAHAHAHAHA!" Ponyboy began to sound more playful, which proved that he was starting to grow happy after going through his nightmare, but that didn't change how much he wanted the tickling to come to an end once and for all.

"I don't believe I got anything to worry about, Ponyboy." informed the Cade, as he kneed his fingers deeper into the youngest Curtis' pits, circling his nails around and poking the feather around a bit as well.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! WE'LLLHAHASEEEEAHAHAHAABBOOUTAHAHAHATHAATTT!"

Johnny playfully rolled his eyes as he dropped his arms back down to his sides, not taking what Ponyboy just said to him into consideration. Again, he waited for Pony, who was now beating red and sweating bullets, to catch his breath so he wouldn't pass out.

"Please...please stop, Johnnycake...I'm too tired..." Ponyboy panted, swallowing deep breaths to help his lungs get back on track.

"You know somethin', Pone?" Johnny said, as if he didn't hear a word that Pony just said when he truly did.

"...What?"

"You actually have some pretty tuff shoes here...I think I'll tell Dally to swipe me a pair like these." Johnny pointed a thumb at Pony's tennis shoes, right before he moved himself down so he could be sitting on Ponyboy's legs instead of straddling his waist any longer. It took Pony a moment to understand what Johnny meant by stating something about his shoes all of the sudden, but after about ten silent seconds, Ponyboy allowed his mouth to fall open, as if he watched somebody walk through a wall.

"No! Johnny, please! Anywhere else but my feet!" Pony started pleading yet again. Like how his armpits were his second most ticklish spot, his feet were his first, making that his weakest point that was bound to make him explode.

"Ah, now I remember," Johnny smirked once more as he untied one of Ponyboy's tennis shoes and slowly slipped it off to reveal a perfectly white sock to build up nervous suspense in Ponyboy, 'the victim.'

"...Remember what?" Pony swallowed a huge lump of nervousness that was resting in his throat.

"The fact that your soles just so happen to be your most ticklish spot. I remember how I used to watch Two-Bit and Steve 'kidnap' you, tie you up, blindfold you, then tickle your feet like tomorrow didn't exist when we were little kids." Johnny chuckled at the childhood memories that were coming back to him. Pony remembered those times too, but that only made him more worried over what was about to happen. Ponyboy clenched his eyes shut, hoping to God that he would be able to keep his laughter held in this time, but right after he felt one of Johnny's fingertips slowly dance along the side of his foot, he showered laughter at a whole new level.

"HAHAHAHHAHAHAAHHAAHAHA!" Ponyboy screamed at the top of his lungs, causing Johnny to cringe at how loud his laughter improved just over one small stroke.

"What do you know?" Johnny snickered, "this is still your weakest point, man."

"STOOPPPPAHAHAHAHA! PLEEEAASSSEEE! HAAVVEEHAHAHAHAMERRCCCYY! JOHNNYCAKE!"

However, Johnny wouldn't listen; instead, he started to dance all ten of his fingertips all over Pony's sock-wearing foot. The youngest Curtis laughed and laughed like it was his job, crying like a waterfall as he bucked and wiggled around like a worm on a hook, trying his best to kick his legs so he could get Johnny to quit it, but it was no use. Johnny was sitting too close to his ticklish feet for him to easily kick.

"Coochie coochie goo, Ponyboy!" Johnny playfully mocked, as if he was Two-Bit, and he continued to wiggle his fingers into Ponyboy's heel and arch until he decided to stop and begin to untie his other tennis shoe. Not only that, but just when Ponyboy attempted opening his mouth to object, Johnny pealed off both of his clean socks.

"Oh, no!" Pony gasped, "Johnny, please don't tickle my bare feet! I'm goin' to die! I can't handle it!"

"You mean, you want me to just put your socks back on? Sorry, Ponyboy, but that ain't tuff." informed Johnny, who took no hesitation to dig his nails deep into Ponyboy's very soft soles. Since Pony and Johnny had been hiking around for awhile before they made it to Jay Mountain, and not to mention the fact that they've kept their shoes and socks on since they arrived to the church, the sweat only made the tickling what felt like a thousand times worse; it made Pony's soles even more sensitive than what they already were.

Johnny squeezed and wiggled his fingers all over Pony's bare feet, sending the youngest Curtis into one heck of screaming cry of laughter. Ponyboy was squealing and roaring like his life depended on it. It was a good thing nobody lived close to Jay Mountain; otherwise, they'd think Pony was in danger or something.

"STOOOPPPPPHAHAHAHAHATICCKKLLLINGHAHAHAHMEEEE! HAHAHAHAPLEEAASSSEEE!" Ponyboy was crying so much that it was almost as if the abandoned church was going to become an indoor pool. It took all of Johnny's strength to keep him where he was since Pony was bucking around so much, and just when Ponyboy thought it couldn't get anymore worse, Johnny forced his toes back and scratched the smooth sensitive skin that rested underneath. Not only that, but the Cade also used the owl feather to trace inbetween each of Ponyboy's toes, right before he traced the feather all over Pony's sensitive arches and heels. Ponyboy was laughing so much that his laughter began to become hoarse. "NOOO! NOOTTTAHAHAHAHAMMYYYYAHAHAHHHAAAATOOOEEESS!" Just as the youngest Curtis felt like he was about to pass out right then and there, the Cade finally stopped.

"All right, I think you've had enough." Johnny grinned and tossed the owl feather away over his shoulder. After that, he helped the relieved Ponyboy put his shirt back down, then place his socks and shoes back on his feet. Suddenly, a pout swiped across Johnny's face. "Are you mad at me, Pone?" he wondered.

"Nah, I ain't mad," Ponyboy offered him an assuring smile, and he truly wasn't. He'd never admit it, but half of him was actually glad that Johnny tickled him. "I know you were only tryin' to cheer me up...and what do you know? It worked."

"Really?" Johnny actually sounded surprised. Pony nodded his head, still grinning at the Cade, who hesitated a moment before smiling back and untying Ponyboy's hands. "How are you feeling?" Johnny asked as he watched Pony squeeze and rub his wrists from where they were tied up.

"Thirsty and tired..." Ponyboy replied.

"Do you want to go outside and get a drink from the pump?" questioned Johnny, but to his surprise, a devious smirk formed on Pony's face as he shook his head. Johnny's eyes widened, but before he could say a word, Ponyboy tackled him down to the dusty ground and forced his hands above his head.

"What are you doin', Pone?" Johnny nervously asked, as if he didn't already know the answer when Ponyboy was able to succeed with tying his hands up over his head.

"I'm thirsty for revenge, Johnnycake! I warned you that you weren't goin' to get away with this!" Pony deviously, but playfully snickered at the sixteen-year-old boy. "It's my turn to force the laughter out of you!"

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**A/N: I know, it's weird, but I thought it would be kind of cute to write since I love how close Ponyboy and Johnny are. There's the next part of the two-shot coming up next, but if anybody wants me to continue writing these weird, but sort of humerous and cute one-shots, just message me or leave a review of who you want to be tickled and by who. This is just for fluff among "The Outsiders" characters, who are owned by S.E. Hinton! Please review! :D :D :D :D**


	2. Promise Us Something

**A/N: Not much to say here unless it's here's the next chapter! I decided to start making more chapters instead of only a two-shot, so if anyone wants to make a request for somebody being tickled and by who, you can message me or write in the reviews. This chapter was inspired by Goldenthorns, who asked me to do a chapter with Johnny, Ponyboy, and Dally. Again, this story is somethin' I made to just create fluff with "The Outsiders" characters, who are owned by S.E. Hinton. Please read, enjoy, and review! :D :)**

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It was a hot summer day in Tulsa, a place where the two gangs, the greasers and the Socs, would usually curse and beat up on each other, but it was too hot for anybody to be out on the sidewalks or streets that day of late June. Ponyboy Curtis, the youngest greaser in the Curtis' greasers gang, was busy sitting on the couch in his living room with his eyes glued to a book that was called _Gone With The Wind_. On the other hand, his best friend, Johnny Cade, the second youngest greaser who was abused, was sitting next to him with his legs kicked up onto the coffee table, a lit cigarette being held inbetween his pointer and middle fingers of his right hand, and a bored expression was plastered on his face.

The two greasers were so hot, drinking at least ten bottles of water, along with some Pepsi and Coke to remain as cool as possible in that temperature. However, it wasn't that easy since summer was just beginning, smacking everybody in Tulsa with a sticky sensation that would instantly have 'em all sweating and running to get wet or something to drink after they only open up their front door.

Johnny peeked over at Ponyboy, seeing how he was so lost in the book that he was reading that it was as if his reddish-brownish, decently long, greasy hair that was dangling in front of his sweaty streaked face was completely unnoticeable. Johnny, being the shy and polite sixteen-year-old boy that he was, didn't want to disturb Pony; so, the Cade decided to snatch up the remote that was resting beside his bottle of water on the coffee table.

"_Only twenty-five cents-_"

"_Bring your family to-_"

"_M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-_"

"_You better be wearing your sunblock and sunglasses because-_"

"_Are you looking to adopt? If so-_"

Johnny kept on flipping through all the channels with his bored facial expression remaining perfectly straight on his face. Nothing good or appropriate was on TV; not even the fuzz was breaking up a fight surprisingly. There's usually always a fight breaking out for the news to catch, but it was so steaming and moist that June day that it was almost like nobody was hanging out outside. Greasers weren't in their lots, Socs weren't driving around in their corvettes or mustangs, greasers weren't at the park, Socs weren't even at that new expensive public pool; it was as if everyone in all of Tulsa vanished.

After switching through the Curtis' TV channels at least one-hundred times, the Cade gave up and turned the TV back off. After that, he crossed his arms over his slightly dirty green T-shirt and laid his head back, remaining absolutely bored as he blew his long, jet-black, greasy bangs out from hanging in front of his eyes. Nothing but complete silence filled the Curtis' living room, minus the sounds of Pony flipping the pages in his book every thirty or so seconds. Nonetheless, Ponyboy decided to break the strange quietness after he peeked over in Johnny's direction to notice how bored he looked.

"Is everythin' all right, Johnnycake?" Ponyboy questioned, marking the page that he was at in his book before closing it and placing it down on the coffee table besides his half-drank water bottle.

"I don't know," Johnny sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm just bored is all. It's so strange having your house super quiet like this...I know it might sound crazy, but I'm used to hearing Steve and Soda wrestle, Dally cursing at Two-Bit when he's cracking his classic jokes, Darry warning all of us to be careful and if he break somethin'; we're buying it, and the TV is on the news because a fight being broken up by the police...everything just seems so different, ya dig?"

Understandingly, Pony nodded his head with complete agreement. "Yeah, I dig you, but I don't think that sounds crazy at all. I agree with you completely; I'm absolutely used to tuning all of the noise out, but with no noise to treat like it's not there, I'm not that big of a fan staying home like this."

"What can we do 'bout it, though? We can't go anywhere because it's too hot; and besides, even if it wasn't boiling like this, we couldn't go anywhere anyway. The Socs sometimes decide to get drunk by the park, we could possibly get ambushed again like last summer, and we already saw the most recent film at the movies with Dally." lectured the Cade. Instantly, confusion swiped across Pony's face at the mention of the toughest greaser in all of Tulsa.

"Speakin' of Dally, where is he? I haven't seen him 'round at all today. Darry's at work after forcing himself to go through this blustering heat, Soda and Steve are on a double-date at Sandy's place, and Two-Bit is at Kathy's house probably getting drunk and watching Mickey Mouse just like their last date."

"Oh, yeah. Dally told me yesterday night that he would be hunting some action at Buck's place today since yet another reckless party is smashing out over there." Johnny explained. Still remaining absolutely confused, Ponyboy cocked an eyebrow, a trick that he had picked up from Two-Bit over the years.

"...I thought Buck got caught and thrown into the cooler by the fuzz after his previous party got out of hand..." Pony pointed out.

"You're right, Buck _did _get arrested and he's goin' to be serving two-to-three months in jail for allowing alcohol to be drank by younger teens, fights to spurt out with weapons or just bare hands, and after all of that stuff that happened in the many bedrooms. That's why Buck's older brother is goin' to be the one hosting this party, which I can already tell isn't goin' to end up well." lectured the Cade.

"Buck has an older brother? I thought he was an only child...I could've sworn that's what Dally said." the Curtis confusedly touched his chin and shrugged to himself.

"Dally actually didn't know about Buck's older brother until he got tossed into the cooler. Nobody actually knew about him...Buck didn't know he had an older brother until he hit nineteen years ago." Johnny informed.

"What's his name?"

"Miles. Dally told me that he's thirty-seven, married, has two daughters and a son, and a criminal record that's just like Dally's."

Secretly, Pony rolled his eyes at the mention of Miles' police record. "...That's just perfect." he sarcastically sighed, and then added with a more serious tone: "Dally can't afford getting busted by the fuzz at another one of Buck's parties."

"Yeah, I know, but I bet Dally can handle himself. He always does." reminded Johnny. Then, as if it was meant to happen, the Curtis' phone rang. The confusion returned to Pony's face, but Johnny simply stood up from the couch and put his cigarette out in the ashtray. After that, he decided to strip off his jean jacket, leaving it to land on the couch. "I'll get it." he said.

Ponyboy sat still and listened to every word that came out of Johnny's mouth after he picked the phone up and answered whoever was on the other side of the line.

"Hello?...Um, yes, I know who Dallas Winston is...my name is Johnny, yes...I'm at my best friend's house, Ponyboy Curtis...yes, sir, that's his real name...may I ask who is calling?...Oh, hi, what's goin' on with Dally now?...Uh, I see, yeah...all right, Ponyboy and I will be there to get him in a few. Thank you. Good-bye."

Without any hesitation, Pony leaped up on his feet and stared at Johnny with complete concern after hearing the small conversation. "What's going on?" asked Pony.

"Pone...remember when I told you a minute or so ago that Dally always handles himself?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, I was wrong this time. That was Miles on the phone. He said that Dally got so drunk that he passed out and somebody needs to come and get him."

"Ugh..." Pony took in a deep breath and released it as a sigh, pouting. "Oh, leave it to Dally to do somethin' like that."

"We're the only ones who are available, Ponyboy. Besides, we got nothin' else better to do since we're bored out of our minds, and we can't have Dally risk gettin' arrested again." Johnny reminded.

"I know," Ponyboy mumbled, "we never leave a friend behind. Let's go get him and hurry back here before it possibly gets even hotter."

The Cade and the youngest Curtis bashed out the front door, leaving it to slam shut behind them like it always did. Buck's place was about fifteen minutes away from the Curtis' house, but no one else was on the sidewalks or streets that day, so Ponyboy and Johnny knew that they wouldn't have to worry about getting jumped like they did a ton of times in the past.

* * *

"Miles, is that you?" Johnny shyly squeaked after he and Ponyboy made it to Buck's house and knocked on the front door. They probably waited for fifteen or so seconds until a man who looked just like Buck, but with different colored eyes and a bit longer hair, opened the door for them and glared at them with a cigarette being held inbetween his lips. Plenty of more people, most of them looking about sixteen-to-twenty, were drinking vodka, playing the smoke ring challenge and chicken, making out with some other person, wildly dancing to the echoing music, gambling, laughing, and making complete fools out of themselves like it was no big deal.

"Yes, that's me in the flesh. Who are you?" Miles demanded to know after he took in a drag of his cigarette and blew out an okay smoke ring. Dally was the best at blowing perfect smoke rings, along with Two-Bit.

Nervously, Johnny took down a small gulp before speaking again. Miles was a whole lot more taller and looked more muscular than Buck, and Miles had a few scars on his face. "We spoke on the phone 'bout fifteen minutes ago. I'm Johnny and this is Ponyboy. We're here for Dallas." stuttered the Cade.

"Ah, right. He's right over there, past out on one of the tables...stay here, I'll get him for you two kids." Miles closed the front door again after talking, which left Ponyboy and Johnny exchanging their facial expressions for a couple of seconds until the door opened up again. Miles was holding Dally up by underneath his arms, dragging his lifeless like body out for Johnny and Ponyboy to take. Since Dally was still passed out, Ponyboy and Johnny had to drag him back to the Curtis' house; Johnny held him up from under his arms like Miles previously did, and Ponyboy grasped his shins and helped the Cade carry the surprisingly very light Dallas Winston.

"God, doesn't Dally eat?" Ponyboy groaned in the hot rays that were beaming down on him, Johnny, and Dally like magnets. Tiredly, Johnny snickered, but didn't answer. All Ponyboy was hoping was that he wouldn't get any sunburn; otherwise, Darry would lecture him on why he went out all by himself with just Johnny in the hot sun and no protection from the burning rays, especially to Buck's dangerous house.

* * *

Since Johnny and Pony had to carry Dally all the way from Buck's house to the Curtis' house, the fifteen minutes turned into at least an half an hour walk in the pits of fire. Sweat was madly forming all over the three greasers and dripping like there was no tomorrow, but no matter how much Ponyboy and Johnny were tired, they kept on walking until they finally made it back to the Curtis' house.

"Uh, thank God for shade!" Pony sighed with absolute relief after he and Johnny got Dally through the front door, which Johnny accidentally hit the back of Dally's head into, but not even that woke Dally up from passing out.

"My bad, Dally, my bad..." Johnny muttered worriedly, as if Dally was awake and knew what he did.

"I'm beat...and I ran over a mile with the track team!" Ponyboy took in and let out deep breaths, panting away.

"I dig you...phew, I'm tired myself...I don't blame you, Pone." Johnny understandingly panted himself, and without thinking, the Cade and the youngest Curtis allowed their arms to drop, forcing Dally to fall to the floor in front of the coffee table with a loud _thud_. Johnny's eyes grew huge with nervousness as he and Ponyboy took a moment to stare at Dally still out cold, and then they looked up at each other.

"...Shouldn't we have put him on the couch?" Johnny asked. Ponyboy gazed down at Dally again, studying how he looked and taking in again how tired he was. Johnny did the same, silence surrounding the two of them until Johnny exhaustedly added on a few seconds later: "Actually, nevermind...he looks comfortable where he is."

Johnny and Ponyboy plopped themselves down on the couch and continued catching their breath.

"I can't believe...Dally got so drunk that...we had to go fetch him and drag him all the way back...in this heat!" Ponyboy breathed, wiping away some sweat from his forehead.

"I know...I mean, I'm not mad at Dally...but I wish he would stop gettin' so drunk like that..." panted Johnny, "anyway, do you got any idea of what we could do now? I'm still bored as heck."

"I am, too...um...let's see..."

Silence met the room for about ten seconds...fifteen...twenty...twenty-five...etc. Ponyboy and Johnny both were trying to think of something that they could do to keep them in the shade and take away their boredom. Finally, after the two greasers shared a small glance to see if they had any ideas come to them, they locked their eyes on Dally. He was dressed in gray muscle shirt, a light gray pair of worn out jeans, and brown pointed toe boots; his almost white hair that was covered with hair grease hung in his face, and he was looking absolutely peaceful for a change.

"Hm..." Ponyboy formed a devious, but playful smirk, now having an idea shine in his mind as if it was a lightbulb that flicked on. "I think I have an idea of somethin' we can do."

Eagerly, Johnny paid full attention with complete interest shining in his eyes. "You do?"

The youngest Curtis nodded his head. "Yep."

"What do you have in mind, man?"

"Well, I think Dally needs to be taught a lesson for getting drunk like that and having us run to get him and bring him all the way back here when it's boilin' outside."

Confusedly, Johnny cocked an eyebrow, but his black puppy like eyes shot huge. "What are you gettin' at, Pone? If we mess with Dally, he's goin' to kill us the minute he wakes up!"

"Relax, Johnnycake," Ponyboy snickered, "just trust me, okay? I promise you that he's not going to kill us; he won't get the chance to, especially the minute he wakes up from being out cold. Now, I need you two go upstairs and get two of Darry's belts from his room. Go!"

Johnny hesitated, taking a moment to process Ponyboy's order before he finally nodded his head and trotted off to go get some belts.

* * *

Dally began to come to, softly moaning and groaning with sweat still covering his body, and he could feel two gigantic pains eating away at his head. One pain was straight in his forehead, which Dally knew for a fact was because he drank a whole lot at the party, which those memories were coming back to him, but he didn't understand why this other pain was there digging at the back of his head.

When Dally squinted his eyes open, seeing how his vision was going from blurry to clear a few times before it finally stayed clear, he didn't need to think twice about where he now was after keeping his eyes on the Curtis' ceiling.

"Oh man...that's enough drinking for today..." Dally softly spoke to himself, but when he attempted pulling down his fists so he could rub his eyes and then get up from the floor, his arms wouldn't come down. Confusedly, Dally gazed up at his right fist, raising his eyebrows with concern at the sight of his arm being stuck to one of the legs of the Curtis' coffee table from a belt being tied tightly around his wrist. "What the..." Dally turned his attention over to his left fist then, seeing how it looked no different from his other fist. Angrily, Dally yanked at the belts that were holding him in place over and over again, but he surprisingly couldn't escape them; that surprised Dally, because he could get out of handcuffs, break out of the cooler, and dodge the fuzz, but he couldn't get himself out of two belts that were keeping him down.

"Oh, look at what we got here, Johnnycake," Ponyboy peeked into the living room from the doorway that led into the kitchen, and after he saw Dally finally awake, that same smirk of his spread across his face. Instantly, Dally turned his attention over to where he heard Pony's voice, and he watched as Ponyboy walked into the room with Johnny by his side. Johnny tried not to smile, but he couldn't help it at the sight of Dally all tied up and trapped.

"I can't believe that actually worked," Johnny chuckled under his breath, which received him a playful nudge in the ribs by Ponyboy, as if he was telling him: "I _told _you that it would work!"

"Did you two do this to me?!" Dally angrily blustered as he began yanking at the belts again, but it was no use. There was no way he could escape from the surprisingly very strong knots.

Still smirking, Ponyboy shrugged his shoulders. "Yes, actually."

"Why the hell did you do this to me?! Let me go!" proclaimed the furious Dally, who eyes were now sharply narrowed in a warning manner.

"I'm afraid we can't do that, Dal." Johnny softly spoke, which certainly struck Dally in the heart with a major surprise, but he'd never admit it or show it.

"Why not?!" Dally demanded to know.

Ponyboy and Johnny both exchanged their smirks, keeping their mouths shut until Pony gave Johnny a single nod. Dallas remained looking ticked, which he was, but he was starting to grow more concerned over why Johnny and Ponyboy tied him up. Ponyboy and Johnny approached Dally, getting down on their knees beside him with their plan excitedly begging to begin inside of them.

"You need to stop getting so drunk, Dally. You're passin' out and you have no idea how tired Johnny and I were after running back and forth in this heat to get you." informed the youngest Curtis, but all Dally did was roll his eyes and go on mumbling every word in the book under his breath.

"I don't need to do anything!" Dally exclaimed, "Pony, you know what _you _need to do, though? You need to wipe that smirk off of your face and untie me with Johnnycake if you know what's good for you!"

"Sorry, Dally, but no can do," Ponyboy shook his head, not fearing over any word that Dally just assured him. Usually he would be afraid, anybody would when dealing with Dallas Winston, but not this time.

"You need to learn a lesson, Dally. After what you put Pone and I through, I must admit that you do deserve it, and we're honored to give you it." informed the Cade, continuing to smirk at Dally before turning his attention back over to Ponyboy. "Where should we start?"

"Start what?" Dally was actually beginning to have his concern slip through his fingers and expose, but he wasn't aware of it.

"I think..." Pony took a moment to examine Dally, humming a little to himself as he scratched his chin with his index finger.

"Start what?!" Dally commanded again, but no one answered his question again.

Ponyboy's eyes finally locked on Dally's boots, and he offered Johnny his smirk as he gave him a nudge.

Dally watched as the two younger teenagers gently sat down on his legs so he couldn't move them, right before he could've sworn he felt his boots beginning to be tugged off. "What the hell are you two doing to my boots?!" bellowed the captive Winston, who's concern was still getting the best of him.

"We're just slippin' 'em off so we can begin giving you your private lesson." Ponyboy shared, chuckling deviously, but yet playfully when speaking.

"Well, don't! I don't need a lesson of any kind so you can leave my boots on and untie me!" instructed Dallas. However, Johnny and Pony acted like they didn't hear a word that just came out of his mouth. The sixteen-year-old Cade and fourteen-year-old Curtis slipped of Dally's boots, revealing his sock-wearing feet. Dally wiggled his toes in his socks, a habit he had whenever he or somebody else took off his shoes. Then, Dally attempted pulling at the belts again, but suddenly, he stopped when he felt a gentle stroke of a finger trace around one of the holes in his right foot's sock. Instantly, Dally's eyes shot huge, and he now knew exactly what Johnny and Pony meant by 'teaching him a lesson.'

"Are these size 10's of yours still ticklish like they were a long time ago, Dal?" Johnny asked, tracing a single one of his nails from the top of Dally's foot all the way down to the bottom, but not without taunting and swirling his finger around on the bare skin that was exposed through the holes that were formed in the old and worn out fabric of Dally's socks.

"No!" Dally quickly responded, stunned in what Johnny and Ponyboy were doing to him. Out of everyone in the gang, the two smallest, youngest, and most innocent greasers chose him to torture; that's all Dally could think about as he tried wiggling his sweaty feet away from the smooth feather-light touches of the fourteen and sixteen year olds teasing fingers. However, it was no use; Ponyboy had his right leg pinned and Johnny had his other leg stuck to the floor as well. "You two better stop it now!" Dally ordered, holding back his chuckles the best he could so he wouldn't break and give Johnny and Pony what they wanted from him.

"Why should we stop if you're not ticklish anymore? If you're not like you say you're not, it shouldn't be a problem for Johnnycake and I to have some fun." Ponyboy smartly informed as he began to rake his nails faster up and down Dally's helpless sole.

Dally cringed at the faster speed, clenching his teeth and grinding them together as he tried ignoring the tickly sensations, but his snickers were hollering inside of him; they were begging to be released. "Ponyboy, when I get out of this, you're going to be in a world of pain! I don't care if you are Soda and Darry's younger brother! I'm goin' to get you!" Dally growled like a junkyard dog.

Pony looked at him over his shoulder and flashed the furious Dally a phony puppy pout, something he learned from Soda since he's seen him do it to Darry a whole lot just to joke around. "Aww, Dal," Pony sighed, "that wasn't the best thing to say at this time you're in."

Dally opened his mouth to respond, but before he could get a single word out, he felt his socks get dragged off of his sweaty feet, leaving them completely bare with twenty wiggling fingers ready to strike at the hopeless flesh. Dally's eyes shot huge again, already beginning to regret opening his mouth like he did.

"Ready, Johnny?" Ponyboy asked.

Excitedly, Johnny nodded his head and used one of his hands to force back Dally's scrunched up toes so he could stretch out the sweaty skin. "Yeah, I'm ready. On the count of three?"

Pony smirked again and nodded, leaving Dally to secretly gulp and pray to God he could handle it or escape before the torture reached him.

"One..." the Cade whispered.

"Two..." mumbled the Curtis.

"Let me out of here now! I'm not playin' 'round with you two! I'm not a toy!" Dally blustered, trying his best to sound furious, which he still was, but he was beginning to feel nervous with a pinch of actual fear added in.

"Three!" Pony and Johnny exclaimed together, and without any hesitation, the two younger teenagers jammed their nails into the older boy's flesh. Instantly, Dally began to turn red, and he clenched his eyes shut again as he began to trash left to right.

"Come on, Dal," Ponyboy teased, "let out a laugh. You know you want to."

"SHHUUTTTTAHAHAHAUUUPPPP! III'MMMMHAHHAHAGOOIIINNNGGHEHAHEHATTTOOOOHAHAHA! KILLLLYOOOUUUHAHAHA!" Dally burst out into hysterics, as if he was now some little kid instead of the toughest hood in all of Tulsa.

The gleeful tone of the youngest Curtis' mocking voice, along with how he was rapidly scratching all the way up and down one of Dally's feet, swirling around the bare arches and heels, Dally couldn't help himself to have a smile blow up across his face. He could feel Johnny scribbling away inbetween and around his toes that he was still forcing back.

"Aw, is wittle Dawly just a wittle twicklish?" Johnny mimicked a baby voice like Two-Bit would do in a time like that, obviously having a great time assaulting the older greaser.

"STTOOOPPPPHAHAHAITTTTT! HAHAHAHAQUIITTTHAHAHA!" Usually Dally would threaten somebody after they tease him like that, but he could never say a hurtful word to Johnny Cade; Johnny looked up to him and worshiped him greatly, but Dallas knew that he wasn't goin' to give up on the chance to torture him with his own rare laughter.

Pony and Johnny had playful satisfaction dancing in their eyes with their proud smirks remaining spread across their faces. No matter how much Dally begged, the two younger greasers kept on holding his helpless soles in different headlocks; torturing away at them. They stroked their fingers in circles all around his heels and dug their nails into his arches, but not without giving his toes a taste of the tickle torture as well.

"This little piggy went to the market, this little piggy stayed home..." sang Ponyboy as he grabbed a gentle hold of Dally's big toe, followed by the one after that, scratching them with his nails.

"NOOOHAHAHAHAHA! NOOOTTTTHAHAHAHATHHHHAAATTTHAHAHAHASSOOONNGG!" Dally whaled, trying harder and harder to yank his arms down so he could knock Ponyboy and Johnny's heads together, but he couldn't.

Smirking wider and chuckling some at how hilarious the scene was with the roughest hood in all of Tulsa screaming out laughter like some little kid, Johnny followed Pony's example and gently grasped Dally's smallest toe, along with the toe before that.

"This little piggy had roast beef, and this little piggy had none..." Johnny taunted, scribbling away underneath Dally's two toes that he was holding with his nails.

"JOHHNNNYYCCAAKKEE! HAHAHAHA! NOOTTTHEHEHAHAYOUUUHAHAHAHA, TTTTTOOOOO!" the captive Winstion screeched at the top of his lungs, not being able to help himself no matter how much he tried keeping his laughter held in.

"And this little piggy," Johnny and Ponyboy sang together, exchanging their smirks, right before they dove all of their fingers into Dally's feet all over again, attacking the sweaty flesh. "Sang wee wee wee all the way to town!"

Dally screeched like a little kid, trashing around left to right with laughter exploding out of him as if he was a bomb; no matter how much he tried to shut his mouth, he couldn't handle being tickled. Ponyboy and Johnny continued kneeding their fingers inbetween Dally's toes and tracing all up and down the sides of his feet, smirking widely from having such a blast.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA! SSSTTTTTOOOOOPPPPHAHAHAHATTTTIIIIIICCCCKKKLLLINNNG HAHAHAMMYYYHAHEHEHEHAFEEEETTTT!" roared Dallas, who already had tears of laughter pouring out of his eyes.

"What was that, Dal?" Johnny teased, gazing over his shoulder at the howling boy. "You want us to stop tickling your feet?"

"HAHAHAHAYYYEEEESSSSSHAHAHA!" Dally took no hesitation to burst out his reply.

Ponyboy and Johnny looked at each other, still wiggling their fingers into Dally's feet and taking in his echoing laughter before they formed new grins and nodded their heads. Then, they took their fingers away from the squirming feet.

"You two...are goin' to...pay for this!" threatened Dally, taking in and letting out deep breaths with his face still beaming dark red.

"We thought you said you weren't ticklish, Dally," Ponyboy snickered, "you lied to us, didn't you?"

"Of course I lied! I'm Dallas Winston! Now you two had your so-called fun, so let me out of these belts so I can knock your heads together!" Dallas began pulling at the two belts that were remaining tight around his wrists again, but Johnny and Pony only continued smirking at him as they shook their heads at his order.

"You know what happens to ticklish liars, Dal?" Johnny asked, chuckling with his words as he moved his way up to the Winston's left side, and Ponyboy went to his right side.

"...What?" Dally dared to grumble with complete irritation; however, that irritation quickly turned into regret when Pony grabbed a hold of his muscle shirt and lifted it up, exposing his muscular stomach, ribs, small innie, sides, and his hairless armpits. Again, Dally's eyes grew big, leaving Johnny and Ponyboy to snicker at how nervous he was beginning to form all over again.

"Don't you two dare!" Dally formed a scowl and shot it at Ponyboy only, not daring to give Johnny a single part of the glare since he knew that this was all mainly Pony's idea.

Smirking once more, Johnny raised an eyebrow and smartly spoke the words: "What are you talkin' 'bout, Dally? You told Ponyboy and I that we should stop tickling your _feet_. You didn't say anything 'bout your upper body."

At first, Dallas paused so he could remember the screaming words he said to Pony and Johnny in order to get them to quit torturing his soles. That's when he realized that they were better at playin' around with words than anybody could imagine, but when Dally opened his mouth to object, he couldn't help his eyes to get locked on Ponyboy; Pony had reached up onto the coffee table and grabbed a thing or two, but Dally couldn't see what they were.

"What are you doing, Pony?" Dally dared to ask, but after he did, he regretted it greatly, because Ponyboy brought the items that he had picked up into his view. In one hand, he held a pen, and in his other hand he held a white-handled feather-duster, which Johnny took from him after Pony reached it across Dally for him to take. Dally's mouth fell open, and he started trying to squirm like his life depended on it, but Johnny and Ponyboy were holding him in place.

"Ticklish liars deserve to be tortured with the help of specific tools, Dal!" Ponyboy evilly, but yet playfully laughed.

"You guys wouldn't!" Dally exclaimed, stunned all over again, and actual plead was beginning to show in his widened eyes. "You can't do this to me! I can smash all of your bones into dust just like that if you don't let me go right now and never speak to anybody about how I'm ticklish!"

"Well, if you promise Pone and I that you'll stop drinking so much, you can avoid the rest of our lesson. What do you say, Dally?" asked Johnny, who was twirling the feather-duster just to make Dally grow even more tense over what more could come his way if he didn't say what they wanted him to.

"No way! I'm old enough to make my own decisions, so I can drink as much as I want!" the Winston, 'the victim', informed with complete annoyance returning quickly to his system.

Ponyboy snickered, actually kind of glad to hear Dallas say that, and he clicked open the pen to have its point come out. Johnny, on the other hand, shrugged his shoulders and then jokingly cracked his knuckles, getting the feather-duster ready afterwards.

"Hey, it's your funeral," Johnny giggled in a warning/playful tone. "Where shall we tickle our victim next, Pone?"

"Hm..." Ponyboy jokingly hummed as he touched his chin and scratched it; another smirk swiped across his face, and playful deviousness lit up in his eyes as they locked on Dally's tummy. Playfully, the youngest Curtis gave Dally a quick jab underneath his ribcage, followed by Pony squeezing his ribs, which instantly had Dally releasing a loud and girly squeal: "AHHH!"

Ponyboy and Johnny burst out laughing, not being able to help themselves after digesting the sound of Dally's girlish scream that time.

"Okay, I think his ribs and stomach are begging us for some tickly attention. What do you think, Johnnycake?" the Curtis asked. Dally looked at Johnny and took down a soft gulp to himself.

"I agree with you completely, Pony. It's almost like they're callin' out for us right at this moment." the Cade nodded his head at Ponyboy, but then fixed his eyes back on Dally. "You know, Dal, it's not too late to assure us that you won't drink so much anymore..."

"In your dreams! Like I said before, I'm old enough to pick out what things I want to do in my life, and things I don't want to waste doing while I'm young. So, your deal is-HAHAHAHAHAHA! HEEEYYYYYHAHAHAHA! NOOOOHAHAHAFAAAIIIIRRR! HEHEHEHEHAHAHA! NNNOOOTTTTHAHAHAHATTHHHEEERRREEE!"

Johnny had already began stroking the feather-duster all around the squirming Winston's belly, making sure he was starting off slow so Dally wouldn't pass out from laughing like a maniac.

"You mean here, Dally?" Ponyboy asked as he slowly traced one of his pointer fingers around Dally's innie a few slow times, followed by a couple of faster times, until the youngest Curtis plunged his finger into the Winston's bellybutton and swirled it all around. This brought Dally's laughter out to a whole new level that made Johnny jump like a startled cat for a second.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! SSSTTTOOOPPPHAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHAHGEEEETTTTTHAHAHAOOUUTTTTHAHAHAHAOOOFFFAH AHAHMMMYYYYHAHAHAHABEEELLLYYBUUTTTOOON!" Dally was screaming so much all over again that Ponyboy began to look around the room to make sure nobody was staring through the windows or standing at any of the doors. Dallas couldn't believe what was happening to him; he was in tickle hell, captured by the smallest and most innocent members of the gang he was a part of.

"Tickle, tickle, tickle, Dally! Whose a ticklish bad boy?" Johnny gleefully taunted as he continued tracking the feather-duster all around Dally's chest and stomach, picking up the speed, but not without stopping around his neck and tickling around there, too.

"AHHHHHHHHH! PPPPLLLEEEEAASSSEEEE! SSSSTTTTTOOOOPPPPHAHAHAHATIIIICCCCKKKLLLLLLIINNNNG GGHEHEHEHAHAMEEEEE!" whaled Dallas, who was beginning to cry to death from laughing so much all over again.

"Coochie choochie goo, Dallas!" jokingly sang Ponyboy, right before he took in a deep breath, lowered hid lips to touch over Dally's innie, and blew out, giving such a wicked raspberry that Dally sounded like he was going to explode from squealing so much. Dally began to kick his legs all over the place, banging them into the floor over and over again with many different _bangs _and _thuds_. The poor Winston was sweating much more, as if he was nothing but a beating red pool of sweat, but Johnny and Pony weren't feeling mercy. Instead, Ponyboy straddled Dally's waist and gave him another raspberry, followed by Johnny blowing out on his ribs to share a part of Ponyboy's example.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! THHHHIIIISSSSSHAHAHAHAHAIIISSSNNNN'TTTTTAHAHAHAHAH FFFAAAAIIIIRRR!" Dally howled.

"Well, it wasn't fair for Johnnycake and I to go get you and bring you back here in this heat, you know?" Ponyboy smartly sassed back as he kneed his fingers deep into Dally's ribs, just as Johnny gave him another raspberry.

"AHAHAHAHAHAH! SSSSCCCCRREEEEWWWHAHAHAHATTHHHAAAT! HAHAHAHAHA!"

"Sorry, Dal, but it just doesn't work that way." Johnny created a phony regretful pout on his face, right before he started scratching his nails all over Dally's ribs, going up and down, side to side to egg Dally on even more. As for Pony, he began to doodle on Dally's stomach, being very careful so he wouldn't press the pen down too hard, but he was tracing it lightly enough to tickle torture the Winston even more.

"NNNOOOOO! HAHAHAHA! IHAHAHAHAHABEEEGGGGHEHEHEHEYOOOUUU!" Johnny and Ponyboy knew that when Dally started pleading, things get serious, but they didn't want to give up on their promise for him to assure; he couldn't drink so much anymore.

"Do you promise us that you'll stop drinking like that?" Johnny questioned, dancing the feather-duster all around Dallas' poor innie that was desperately trying to sink in and get away from all of the tickling. However, struggling was pointless; absolutely pointless.

"HAHAHAHA! HHHEEEEELLLLHAHAHAHANOOOO!" Dally eagerly shook his head back and forth, even though he desperately wanted to be freed from all of the tickling. Johnny and Ponyboy looked at each other, hesitating a couple of seconds to think about the Winston's same response to their promise before they decided to cease the tickling so they could allow Dallas to catch his breath.

"Oh...my...god...I'm goin' to...whip your sorry butts...into next year when I...get out of this..." Dally angrily assured.

"Dally, you can't keep getting so drunk that you pass out like you did; you can't risk getting dragged into the cooler by the fuzz again. Whether you like it or not, Johnnycake and I will make you break." promised the youngest Curtis, and the Cade nodded his head with agreement.

"Oh, really?" Dally rolled his eyes in disbelief, still panting with his face beating red, and tears were running down his face.

"Yeah," Johnny nodded again.

"How do you two suppose you'll get me to break? I'm Dallas Winston, 'member? I don't break easily." Dallas reminded with absolute confidence. Everyone knew that what Dally just said was the truth, but Johnny and Pony believed that they had an excellent way to get Dally to cave into their ways.

Nonetheless, his confidence hurriedly drained away whence a new smirk tugged up on Ponyboy's mouth, and when he looked at Johnny, he realized another devious grin was spread across his face as well.

"Oh, believe us, Dally, we know exactly that you'll break whence your pits here get a taste of the torture." Pony snickered, which instantly had Dally's eyes shoot huge. Ever since he was a kid, Dally had always been mainly ticklish underneath his arms, and since he was sweating bullets because of the steaming temperature and because of all the laughing he already went through, the sweat that drenched his body was only going to have his armpits feel a million times more sensitive.

"No! Oh god, no!" Dally gasped, "I'm too ticklish underneath my arms!"

"That's the point, Dally," snickered Johnny, "although...I bet that promise sounds better now, huh?"

Dallas was beginning to grow absolutely furious now. "I said no! No, no, no! I ain't goin' to give up how much I'd like to drink just because you two hated goin' out into the heat to get me!"

"Dally, you would hate doin' it if you were in our shoes, and you know it," Ponyboy annoyingly rolled his eyes, but then smirked again and shrugged as he added: "Time to cave in, Dal!"

Instantly, Johnny and Ponyboy dug all ten of their fingers into Dally's sweaty pits, raking their nails all around the hairless areas, but not without bringing the feather-duster in a couple of times to scratch at the ultra ticklish pits. Dally's laughter burst like a firework on the Fourth of July, and he madly bucked left to right, desperately trying to yank his arms down to escape the sixteen and fourteen year olds tickly fingers and nails, but no matter how much Dally attempted getting away, he couldn't.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! NOOOOOOO! AAANNNNYYYTHHHHHINNNGHAHAHAHAHABBBUUUUTTAHAHAHAHMM MYYHAHAHAHAPPPIIITTTSS!" Dally was screaming and laughing his heart out to the point where it began to sound like he was losing his voice. Just as Dallas thought things couldn't get any worse, Ponyboy brought the pen back up and started scribbling random swirls and other pictures around in Dally's right pit; Johnny, on the other hand, spun and twirled the feather-duster around into Dally's left hallow pit.

"Did you say somethin', Dally?" Johnny mocked, raising an eyebrow as he decided to dance the feather-duster around Dally's neck some more.

"AHAHAHAHUUUNNNCCCLLLLLEEEE!" screeched Dallas.

"We beg your pardon?" the youngest Curtis joked as he scribbled the pen around faster and faster. Dally was laughing so hard that Johnny and Ponyboy thought that people should invent a new word for hysterics.

"HAHAHAHAHA! IAHAHAHAHAHSSSSAAAIIIIIDD! HAHAHAHA! UNNNNCCCCLLLLEEE!"

Instantly, Ponyboy and Johnny began slowing the torture down, exchanging their satisfaction with each other before gazing back at Dally's beating red face, forced smile, and clenched shut eyes.

"Do you promise us you'll stop drinking so much like you did today?" Ponyboy asked.

"HAHAHAHAHA! YEEESSSSS! AHAHAHAHAHIIIHAHAHAHAPPPRROOMMMMIISSSE!" Dally eagerly nodded his head, not crossing any fingers or anything; if Johnny and Ponyboy weren't paying attention to that, he would've done it in a heartbeat.

"So no more passing out?" questioned the Cade.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! YYYEEEAAHH! NNNOOOHAHAHAHAMMMOOORRREEEHEHEHEHEPASSSINNN'AHAHAH OOOUUTT!"

Instantly, Ponyboy and Johnny dropped their 'torture tools' and backed off of Dally's flesh, leaving the Winston to catch his breath like crazy. Ponyboy slipped Dally's boots back on his feet, and Johnny tucked his muscle shirt back down, leaving all of the scribbles and doodles that Ponyboy drew on his stomach there. Then, being very careful and cautious, the Cade and the Curtis both untied the tired Winston, leaping back from him and watched fearfully as he sat up into a sitting position and rubbed his wrists.

"So..." Ponyboy actually began to grow nervous now as he and Johnny watched Dally stand up from the floor and stretch. "...No hard feelings, Dal?"

After asking that question, Dally took no hesitation to form a sour glare, offering it this time to both Pony and Johnny. "I'm goin' to get you two!" Dally bellowed.

"Johnny, run!" Pony gasped and leaped over the couch, bashing into the kitchen with Johnny following right behind him.

"Every greaser for himself!" hollered Johnny, and with that, Dally began to chase the two younger teenagers all over the Curtis' house.

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**A/N: Want to make a request? I'm open for 'em! Please review and stay tuned for the next chapter! :D :D :D :D**


	3. Holiday Giggles (Part 1)

**A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews! Please keep 'em coming! This idea came to my mind to do a chapter with Mr. and Mrs. Curtis still alive, and Ponyboy's two, Soda's five-going-on-six, and Darry is ten. I just thought this one was super adorable, so I decided to get right on it! As for the next four or five chapters, thanks to my reviewers, they're all planned out, but anytime more requests wants to be asked for, I'm open to hear 'em in the reviews and/or messaging. Now, here goes chapter three!_ Please_ enjoy and review! :D :)**

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Tulsa wasn't the most promised place to ever have a secure and loving holiday, thanks to all of the fights, gambling, shootings, and robberies that take place quite often; nonetheless, the Curtis' were always able to enjoy the Christmas season all warm and cozy together indoors. The snow was coming down hard that late December evening, and the chilly wind was so freezing that even a snowman would turn its heartwarming smile into a pout and shiver.

Mr. Darrel Curtis was sitting on the couch with a kiddie book opened up in his strong hands, and he was reading it out loud to his two-year-old son, Ponyboy. Sodapop Curtis, almost six years old, was twirling and dancing around the fireplace in his pajamas, singing 'Jingle Bells' and making sure he was careful when going by ten-year-old Darrel Junior (Darry), who was busy at the coffee table, writing a Christmas report that he was assigned to do over the break for school. Darry sat his pencil down for a moment and released a little moan to himself as he rubbed his sore wrist; the ten-year-old then began to lift up his mug of hot chocolate, but of course, Soda accidentally tripped over his legs and almost caused some of the hot chocolate from his older brother's mug to come so close to splash onto his Christmas report.

"Soda!" Darry whined as he slammed his mug back down onto the coffee table and flashed his narrowed eyes around at the second oldest Curtis. The sound of his oldest son's outburst instantly had Mr. Curtis looking up from the kiddie book with concern in his eyes.

"Sorry, Darry..." apologized Sodapop. He picked himself up from the floor, now feeling ashamed and embarrassed at how Darry wouldn't stop glaring at him. "Daddy, make him stop!"

Mr. Curtis tried not to grin at Soda's sudden very childish voice, but he failed miserably within five seconds. Chuckling, Mr. Curtis said: "Come on now, Jr. You know Pepsi-Cola was only playing around and that he didn't mean to almost get a stain on your precious Christmas report. It was all an accident."

Darry crossed his arms over his chest, now beginning to feel embarrassed since Ponyboy and Soda began to softly giggle about how their father called his Christmas report 'precious'.

"I've just been working so hard on it and I don't want all of my hard work to go to waste." Darry informed.

"Ah, I see," Mr. Curtis formed a smirk. "You're just like me, Jr. You always want to make the best out of somethin' and keep it that way; you better believe that I'm proud of that, but that doesn't mean you can allow that little temper of yours to get to you, especially since..."

"Santa is coming tomorrow night!" Sodapop cut his father off with his cheering voice, leaping up and down and clapping his hands with a huge smile across his face, as if he was never ashamed or embarrassed. Instantly, Ponyboy began to giggle and clap along with his second older brother, and he slid off the couch from where he was laying his head on his father's lap and listening to him read the kiddie book out loud.

However, Darry rolled his eyes in disbelief, trying weakly to convince himself that Soda had gotten to the point to know the truth about Santa Clause; there was no such thing of a fat jolly man in a red suit flying all around the world in just one night to give toys to only the good little boys and girls by sliding down the chimney. Darry had stopped believing in Santa that year, and Mr. and Mrs. Curtis knew that, but that didn't stop them from continuing to spread Santa tales to Sodapop and Pony, nor did they quit on trying to get Darry's belief to return for just one more year or two so he could grow up and have such great Christmas memories all stored up until he got married and had his own children.

"Now, Jr.," Mr. Curtis sat the kiddie book down on the coffee table. Darry looked up at his dad, receiving his small happy-go-lucky grin as he lovingly ruffled up his hair. Leaning over a bit so he and his oldest son could be looking directly into each others eyes, Mr. Curtis said softly enough so Ponyboy and Soda wouldn't hear him: "I know you lost your belief in Old St. Nick at some point this year, but your mother and I know for sure that you'll discover it again before you know it. In the mean time, I don't want you to say anything ridiculous like he doesn't exist or anything like that to your younger brothers; they're so excited and looking forward for tomorrow night. You don't want to crush your little brothers Christmas spirits, do you? That'll _definitely_ put you on the naughty list, you know?"

Darry tried to keep his straight facial expression, but after hearing that lecture come out of his father's mouth, a smile spread across his face; he knew that he and his dad were greatly alike. Darry peeked over his shoulder to see Ponyboy and Soda, who were both now laughing together as they played 'patty-cake' in front of the tall Christmas tree; vivid lights of all different colors twinkled on and off, and a beautiful star rested on the top, but no presents were resting underneath it just yet. Darry remembered the days when he used to be just like Sodapop, laughing a whole lot and spreading joy around the holidays. However, ever since he lost his belief in Santa Clause, he's been forgetting about the past greatly and trying to grow up too fast. There was no way he wanted to turn into an adult with so many responsibilities; he was just a ten-year-old boy with two younger brothers that he had to be a role model for.

"I really do love both of them, Dad." Darry whispered after he turned his attention back around to his father.

"I know you do, Jr." said Mr. Curtis as he caringly scratched up his oldest son's hair again.

Giggling, the eldest Curtis playfully battered his father's hand away.

Ponyboy and Soda chuckled together, clapping there hands after playing 'patty-cake' again. Darry and Mr. Curtis turned their full attention over to the two younger Curtis', noticing Pony as he stood up on his little wobbly legs, then start making his way back over to Mr. Curtis. Soda, on the other hand, just smiled ear to ear as he swiped a red and white candy-cane off from the sparkling Christmas tree. Darry playfully rolled his eyes, going back to writing his Christmas report and slurping down his hot chocolate. Mr. Curtis snickered at Sodapop as he began sucking the end of the candy-cane, thinking about his wife's rule about no eating any sweets until dinner is over. He didn't believe one piece of candy would cause any trouble...though, this _was _Soda, who was already hyper from being himself.

"Daddy!" Ponyboy's adorable little voice jingled as he folded his hands on his father's knee and rested his head on top of them. Mr. Curtis turned his smile down so he could give it to the cute two-year-old that was looking up at him with that same glowing cuteness within his greenish-grayish eyes.

"Yes, my little Pony?" Mr. Curtis chuckled at his own nickname that he gave to Ponyboy since the day he was born.

"When is mommy going to get home?" Pony asked as he tilted his head like a confused little puppy that didn't know how to obey its master yet.

Mr. Curtis kept smiling, going "Woo!" as he swooped Ponyboy up into his arms, holding him still on his lap when playfully kissing at his jaw over and over again. Ponyboy was instantly in a giggle fit, actually enjoying his father's kisses as Darry and Soda both just smiled at the scene.

"Pone, she'll be home any moment now. After she gets dressed into her pajamas like the rest of us did, we'll have dinner, then some dessert, and finally, we'll be able to camp out in here in our warm and cozy living room for another good nights sleep." Mr. Curtis lectured everything that popped right into his mind at the mention of his wife arriving back home at any time then.

Ever since Mr. Curtis was laid off from working on the old farm, where he took care of and sold horses, and where he sometimes took his wife, Ponyboy, Soda, Darry for some country like fun, Mrs. Curtis started working for longer hours at the hospital. Mr. Curtis offered to look for another job so he could continue to work until he was able to go back to the farm, but Mrs. Curtis shook her head and told him that Mrs. Mathews, Two-Bit Mathews' mother, was too busy taking care of him and his sister, and she didn't want any stranger to watch over Darry, Ponyboy, and Soda. And ever since the day Darry turned one, Mr. and Mrs Curtis created a Christmas tradition for their family; during each Christmas break, the Curtis' would camp out together in the living room, taking turns sleeping on the couch, in the recliner, or cuddled up in front of the fireplace. Christmas break wasn't just baking treats, stirring hot coco, or playing outside in the snow for the Curtis'.

Then, as if it was meant to happen, the front door flew open, causing the chilly breeze to echo into the warm and loving home. Pony clung closer to Mr. Curtis, shivering from the cold until the door slammed shut again,

"I'm home!" Mrs. Curtis stood there in front of the main door, stripping off her heavy winter coat, mittens, waterproof boots, and scarf so her nurse's uniform could be completely exposed in the new warmth. Her golden blonde hair was scrunched up in many silky curls, hauled up in a ponytail with her bangs dangling in front of one of her eyes. Strangely though, Mrs. Curtis' voice wasn't full of that usual happiness and relief like it always was whenever she would get back home from a hard day at the hospital to find herself squeezing the daylights out of her three kids, followed by being held in her husband's strong arms. Instead, Mrs. Curtis looked upset, pouting away with what looked like complete sorrow and embarrassment contained in her beautiful eyes.

"Mommy!" Pony slid off from the couch and trotted his way over to Mrs. Curtis, wrapping his arms around one of her legs and holding himself close to her. Weakly, Mrs. Curtis forced a smile as she picked her youngest son up in her arms, kissing his cheeks a few times before she rubbed his nose against hers.

"Hi, baby boy. Did your father take you, Soda, and Darry sledding like he promised?" Mrs. Curtis asked. Eagerly, Ponyboy nodded his head with complete joy now exposed all over his face.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah! Darry was helping daddy make a snowman at the top of the hill, and Soda was catching snowflakes with his tongue while heading down the hill with me on our sled!" cheered Pony.

"And daddy showed us the tree where he carved your names, surrounded by a big heart!" Sodapop shared.

Darry smirked. "He wouldn't stop going on and on about how pretty and perfect you were back then, and you still are now. He went on and on about how your high school lives were together, up until the day you got married."

Mrs. Curtis weakly forced another grin and raised an eyebrow at her husband. "Oh, did he now?"

A bit embarrassed, but more flattered, Mr. Curtis' face began to blush as he nodded his head. He then stood up from the sofa and wrapped his strong arms warmly around his wife's waist. In secret, he romantically squeezed at her lower back, touching their noses together before pecking her lips a few tender times. Instantly, Pony scrunched up his nose and covered his eyes, releasing a "Ewww!" like Soda did. Darry, on the other hand, tried not to grin as he rolled his eyes and stared back down at his Christmas report.

"But it-" Mr. Curtis began, but not without giving his wife another kiss on her lips. "Wasn't the same-" Another kiss. "Without you, darling." Mr. Curtis ended his talking with yet another kiss against his wife's soft lips, but to his surprise, he started to notice how much Mrs. Curtis was trying not to frown; however, she wasn't successful after the kissing came to an end. Sorrow was pooling up in her glimmering eyes again, as if she was a homeless puppy begging to be fed. Concernedly, Mr. Curtis took Ponyboy from her arms and sat him back down on the floor. After that, he held her closer than before and began stroking her hair.

"What's wrong, Lorena?" Mr. Curtis asked. "Is something bothering you, dumpling?"

Mrs. Curtis couldn't help her pout anymore, and it was now completely exposed on her face. Soda, Pony, and Darry were now locked on their mother; Sodapop and Ponyboy were a mixture of worry and confusion towards why their mommy looked upset; on the other hand, Darry raised an eyebrow at her and tried to break through his concern so he could attempt discovering what was wounding Mrs. Curtis.

"No, Darrel, I'm fine." Mrs. Curtis tried her best to sound assuring, but she could tell by the looks she was getting from her three sons and husband that she was failing.

"You're just as bad as lying now as you were in high school, sweetheart." Mr. Curtis chuckled at the old memories, but his handsome, goofy, wide smile instantly vanished from his face once more when Mrs. Curtis still didn't seem to be like her usual self after getting home from a long day at the hospital.

"It's nothing important, honey." sighed Mrs. Curtis.

"Mommy, if anythin' is bothering you, it _must _be important." Sodapop spoke up.

Agreeing, Mr. Curtis nodded his head. "That's right, babe. I've never seen you look so down like this for many years now. What's bothering you?"

"...You wouldn't understand, Darrel."

"Yes, I would. If you tell me what's digging into you so deep, I can help you get through it."

Mrs. Curtis continued to pout as she wiggled herself out from Mrs. Curtis' arms. "It's just...that...ugh...I helped a few women give birth today...can you believe that, Darrel? I brought_ triplets_, one boy and two girls, into this world from one woman; before I knew it, I was delivering a _baby_ boy_ and_ girl..._twins_ to another lady...and then, I brought another _baby_ boy to one of my best gal pals since high school. She had her fourth _baby_ about an hour ago...that little _baby_ boy, whom she named Daniel."

"Aw, that's cute," Mr. Curtis grinned again at the picture of the little fingers and toes, along with the adorable pairs of eyes taking their first breaths of life after his wife delivered them. Nonetheless, Mr. Curtis' grin wavered after his concern began to get the best of him once more. "But what's the problem with bringing the babies into the world?"

Mrs. Curtis crossed her arms over her chest. "That's not exactly the problem, Darrel...remembering our little boys was the problem...we love them to death, but they're growing up so fast...and just seeing how much those women were after getting to hold their babies for the first time...I couldn't help myself to get all tore up...and...and..." Mrs. Curtis was cut off by her own tears exploding out of her like a waterfall. Ponyboy, Soda, and Darry's eyes shot huge as their mouths fell open; they've never seen their mother cry like that ever before in their whole lives. Mr. Curtis was now full of pity, connecting one of his arms around his wife's shoulders while he used his other hand to caringly stroke her hair some more.

"Shh...everythin' is fine, honey...I'm here...shh..." Mr. Curtis soothingly hushed. "What else did you want to say, sweetie?"

"What do you think?" Mrs. Curtis squirmed away from her husband's arms again and wiped away as many of her hot tears as she could, but more only continued flowing down her face. Mr. Curtis only stared, stunned; he didn't understand what his wife was trying to tell him. Nevertheless, Mrs. Curtis sooner exclaimed through her tears: "I want to have another baby boy or a baby girl!" and after that, she bashed out of the room like the devil was after her. Then a moment or so later, the sound of Mr. and Mrs. Curtis' bedroom door slamming shut echoed throughout the entire household. Mr. Curtis was left with his mouth dropped open, and his eyes were wide like saucers.

"Daddy?" Ponyboy whimpered, now crying some himself at how upset his mommy looked. Mr. Curtis gazed down at his youngest son after he began to feel the tiny fists tugging at his baggy pajama pants.

"Oh, Pony," Mr. Curtis swiped Ponyboy up in his arms and began kissing his head. "Don't cry, okay? Mommy was just trying to explain what all was going on with her."

"But," Ponyboy rested his head on his daddy's bare shoulder, wiping away his tears. "Shouldn't Mommy be happy since Christmas is almost here?"

After hearing that question come out of his baby boy's lips, Mr. Curtis could've sworn he felt tears beginning to prickle up in the edges of his eyes. He couldn't stand to see any of his sons or his wife upset, and he knew that he had to switch all of that around.

"You're right, Ponyboy. She _should _be happy..." Mr. Curtis hesitated, creating a suspenseful moment for Pony, Darry, and Soda until a smirking smile spread across his face about seven or so seconds later. "Which is why we should go and help cheer her up. Lucky for us, the Curtis' always know the number one cure for the blues." Instantly, a wide smile spread across Pony's face, as if he was never upset, and he eagerly nodded his head with absolute excitement. Soda's happy-go-lucky grin popped up on his face, and he clapped his hands with absolute thrill. Lastly, Darry stood up from the floor and only smirked, knowing exactly what his father had in mind.

Continuing to hold Ponyboy, Mr. Curtis tiptoed down the hallway, quietly shushing at his sons and holding his snickers back as Pony and Soda covered their mouths, softly giggling away, and Darry smiled with satisfaction, holding some of his own laughter back. Carefully, Mr. Curtis used his free hand to open up the bedroom door, thanking God in his head for the carpet floor in his and his wife's bedroom; she wouldn't hear the door squeaking open. There Mrs. Curtis was, laying facedown in the many silky pillows that flooded the upper part of her and her husband's bed. Her shoes and socks were now off, her many curls were down from resting up in her ponytail all day, and Mr. Curtis, Ponyboy, Soda, and Darry could hear her still softly sniffling and crying.

Mr. Curtis continued motioning for Darry and Sodapop to follow him, tiptoeing over to the bed until he was able to sit Ponyboy down on the foot of the soft and cozy covers. Raising one finger to his lips, Mr. Curtis silently hushed at his sons again, grinning away as he gazed back at his wife, who was still unaware that anybody was in the room with her.

"Honey?" Mr. Curtis finally spoke up, trying his best to sound curious so his wife wouldn't have any idea about what he was thinking of doing, along with their boys' help.

"Darling, I want to be alone!" Mrs. Curtis cried through the pillows, still not revealing her face from being berried in them.

"I'm afraid that I can't do such a thing since the love of my life is brokenhearted."

Just hearing those words fly out of their father's mouth made Ponyboy and Soda scrunch up their noses, but before they could bellow out an "Ewww!" Darry quickly placed his hands over their mouths.

Mrs. Curtis sighed. "Darrel, I just want to be alone to remember the times we had our sons as babies, okay?"

"Oh, sweetheart," Mr. Curtis made his voice sound pitiful, but he was shining off that handsome smile of his as he placed his hands on his wife's shoulders. "They'll always be our babies no matter how old they get, you know? I know that Pony's already two, Pepsi-Cola will be six soon, and Jr...well, let's not go down that road of what all happened over these fast years. But I can't let you feel upset all by yourself; that's why I think you should meet one of our sons favorite story book characters."

"Oh, Darrel, how will remembering one of our boys favorite story characters cheer me up?" Mrs. Curtis sighed, but after she asked that, she was unaware that she was going to regret it.

Mr. Curtis smirked wider, finally deciding to grab a light, but yet strong grip of his wife's shoulder; he twisted her around so she could see his face, causing her to yelp at the unexpected turn.

"Because this monster makes people laugh for a living!" Mr. Curtis announced as he turned his head over to see his sons, who were now releasing their soft laughter. "Lorena, my love, it's my pleasure for you to meet me, the head tickle monster, along with my three tickly in trainings!"

Excitedly, Soda jumped up and down, clapping his hands. Ponyboy decided to stand up from where he was still on the foot of the bed and follow Soda's example, which was something Pony always loved to do. Lastly, Darry only offered his mother his smirk that looked a lot like his dad's. Mrs. Curtis' tearful eyes shot huge, but no matter how much she tried to get up, Mr. Curtis kept her held down.

"Darrel, don't you even think about it! That goes for you three, too!" Mrs. Curtis bellowed at her family, trying her best to sound stern, but she couldn't help her fear to get the best of her. Sodapop climbed up onto the bed and straddled one of her super smooth, slightly pink, and really clean feet, while Ponyboy kept the other one down, and Darry kept his eyes on them from the other side.

"I can see myself in your toenails, Mommy!" Pony giggled at the shining view of himself in the shiny red nail polish. Mrs. Curtis tried to keep a grin away from showing on her face, but she couldn't help it from twitching up on her lips after she thought about how cute Ponyboy was, especially after saying something like that.

"Ah, now there's that beautiful smile." Mr. Curtis taunted in a flirty voice as he gently caressed his wife's cheek with one of his hands. "Now how about we hear that gorgeous laugh?"

"Darrel, this isn't funny!" Mrs. Curtis' grin instantly faded from her face, and she attempted getting up again, but her husband made sure that he kept her held down.

"My pretty wife wants to play hard-to-get, huh?" snickered Mr. Curtis, keeping his eyes that were glowing off playful deviousness on Mrs. Curtis' face for a few seconds before he turned his attention around to see his Darry, Ponyboy, and Sodapop, who were still ready to strike with their tickly fingers. "All right, my little tickly in trainings, you know what to do!" Mr. Curtis announced as he grasped a hold of his wife's hands and pinned them above her head.

Without any hesitation, Sodapop dug his fingers inbetween his mother's cute toes, wiggling them and scraping the extremely sensitive skin with his short nails. Darry's smirk grew wider with much more playful satisfaction as he danced his fingertips up and down Mrs. Curtis' soles, scratching all the way up from her big toes, to all the way back down to meet her heels. Pony couldn't help himself to laugh along, enjoying the fact that his mom was in what his father called 'tickle jail.'

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA! NOOOOHAHAHAHAHA! NNNOOOOOTTTTHAHAHAHATHHHEEEEEHAHAHAHANOOOTTAHAHAHTTHHHEEEHAHATICCKKKLLYYYHAHAHAHAHHHEEELLLLPPERS!" Mrs. Curtis didn't bother trying to hold her gorgeous laughter back. Instead, she madly twisted from left to right, trying to escape her three sons, or in this case 'the tickly in trainings' or 'tickly helpers', without accidentally striking any of them from her madly trashing.

"Tickle, tickle, tickle, Mommy!" Ponyboy giggled adorably, continuing to do what Sodapop was doing with jamming his smaller fingers inbetween his mom's five digits on the foot that he was straddling. Nonetheless, just staring at the red nail polish painted on Mrs. Curtis' toenails made the youngest Curtis think about the red stripes on candy canes. Suddenly, a little idea popped up into Ponyboy's cute little head, and he leaned over to whisper something into Soda's ear as they continued tickling their mother's helpless soles.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! PLLLLEEEEAAASSSSEEEHAHAHAHAHASSTTTTOOOPPPP!" Mrs. Curtis begged, but just as she thought that it couldn't get any worse, she felt her husband's hands begin to squeeze around her kneecaps and wiggle his fingers like spiders underneath her knees, torturing her even more. "DDDDAARRREEELLL! HAHAHAIIII'MMMHAHA! AHAHAHAHGGGOOOIIINNNGGHAHAHAHATTTOOOOAHAHAHGGGEEEETTTTTHAHAHAYYYOOOOOUUU!"

"Oh, is that so, my precious victim?" Mr. Curtis mimicked a joking monster voice, right before he squeezed at his wife's knees again and sang in the same teasing monster tone, "The tickle monster has you!"

"EEEEKKK!" screeched Mrs. Curtis, a huge smile remaining widely spread across her face at the feather-light touches dancing all over her feet and wiggling underneath her knees. "NNNNOOOOO! HAHAHAHAHAHA! NOOOOHAHAHAHAMMMOOOOORRREEE! HAHAHAHAHA! NNNNOOOOTTTTHAHAHAHAMMMYYYYYHAHAHAHAKKNNNEEESSSS!"

Mr. Curtis smirked in spite of himself all over again; he felt proud to make his wife laugh like that all over again, just like on their honeymoon years before when they were getting ready to...express their love. Not only that, but Mr. Curtis knew how his wife's second most ticklish spot was around her knees, meaning her kneecaps and underneath her knees were very sensitive.

Ponyboy and Soda exchanged their excited smirks, thrilled in Pony's little plan that he had came up with after focusing on how their mother's red nail polish made him think about candy canes. The middle and the youngest Curtis' leaned over, planting many different kisses all up and down their mom's soles, which Mrs. Curtis actually found cute and a bit relaxing since her husband finally stopped tickling her knees so she could catch her breath. However, Mrs. Curtis didn't expect to feel Soda's wet tongue meet her tender skin, trailing all up and down her foot that he was straddling. Not only that, but Ponyboy locked his lips around a few of his mother's little toes and sucked at them, teasing her and loving the sound of her loud laughter as it instantly showered the room all over again.

"EWWWWW!" Mrs. Curtis tried to hold back her laughter, but she failed miserably and screamed at how much it tickled like heck. After noticing but Sodapop and Ponyboy were doing, Darry and Mr. Curtis were bursting out into fits of laughter themselves. "HAHAHAHAHANOOOOTTTTTHAHAHAHAHAFFFAAAAIIIIRRR! HAHAHAHAHA! IIITTT'SHAHAHANOOOTTTHAHAHAHAHAFFFFUUUUNNNNYYY!" Mrs. Curtis objected, trying once again to contain her wild laughter and sound strict, but she caved yet again.

"Well, we think it is, sweetie." Mr. Curtis then decided to tug up Mrs. Curtis' shirt, exposing everything that was underneath her ribcage.

"DDDDOOONNNNNN'TTTTHAHAHAHAHAHAYYYYOOOOUUUAHAHAHAHDDDAAARRRREEEHAHAHAHA!" Mrs. Curtis screamed at her husband, but instead of taking what she said into any consideration, Mr. Curtis lowered his head and planted a long buzzing raspberry against his wife's adorable bellybutton. "NNNOOOOOHAHAHAHAHA! IIIIIHAHAHAHA! HHAAAAATTTTTEEEEHAHAHAHAHAYYYYOOOOUUU!"

"No, you don't," Mr. Curtis snickered, offering his wife a cheeky grin before he gently held her trashing head still so he could give her nose a little kiss. "You love me and you know it." Darrel then decided to scare Lorena by raising one of his pointer fingers in her view, which instantly had her watery eyes going wife. Slowly twirling it just over her cute innie, Mrs. Curtis tried her best to sink her thin stomach in. Mr. Curtis snickered at how adorable his wife was, right before he plunged his pointer fingers into her innie, swirling it all around back and forth from faster to slower. However, Mrs. Curtis' belly, including her bellybutton, was her first most ticklish spot, and she was laughing so hard that tears were beginning to come out of her like a waterfall.

"AHHHHHHHHH! NOOOOOOOO! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! SSSSTTTTOOOOPPPPHAHAHAHAHAHATTTTIICCCKKLLLIIINNNGGGHAHAHAHAHAMEEEEEE! HAHAHAPPPLLLEEEAASSE!" Mrs. Curtis didn't expect to see Darry pop up besides his father a few seconds later, but instead of following her command, he lowered his lips to meet her ribcage and blew out a hard puff of air.

"That's my boy!" Mr. Curtis approved, laughing his silky laughter at Darry.

"YYYYOOOOUUUU'RRREEEEHAHAHAHAHASSSSOOOOOHAHAHAHAHAGGGRRROOOOUUUNNNDDDED!" bellowed Mrs. Curtis, but all Darry did was shrug his shoulders, smirking still as he began to run his fingertips wildly up and down his mother's sides. Nevertheless, none of the boys understood that Mrs. Curtis had a plan up her sleeve...

* * *

**A/N: I decided to split this chapter into two parts, so stay tuned for the second part of this chapter! Please review! :D Thanks! :D :D :D :D**


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